Mathematical modeling of the transmission and control of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance at preharvest

Cristina Lanzas, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Zhao Lu, Cornell University
Yrjo T. Grohn, Cornell University

Abstract

Foodborne diseases are a significant health care and economical burden. Most foodborne pathogens are enteric pathogens harbored in the gastrointestinal tract of farm animals. Understanding the transmission of foodborne pathogens and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance at the farm level is necessary to design effective control strategies at preharvest. Mathematical models improve our understanding of pathogen dynamics by providing a theoretical framework in which factors affecting transmission and the control of the pathogens can be explicitly considered. In this review, we aim to present the principles underlying the mathematical modeling of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance at the farm level to a broader audience.